This one came down as a bomb to many game lovers out there, Gameloft, the French mobile phone games company, is cutting their investment in Android platform. According to Gameloft, not just them, but other software developers are cutting back because of the weakness of the Android Market.
All of us know that compared to the Apple App Store, not just the Android Market, but any other app store from any other platform is smaller. But according to Alexandre de Rochefort, Gameloft’s finance director;
We have significantly cut our investment in Android platform, just like … many others. It (Android Market) is not as neatly done as on the iPhone. Google has not been very good to entice customers to actually buy products. On Android nobody is making significant revenue. We are selling 400 times more games on iPhone than on Android.
With all the attention in the mobile industry that Android has got lately, specially with the release of the Motorola DROID by Verizon, and Sony Ericsson bringing an Android based phone of their own. This, you would think, should not be happening. Anyway, comparing games on iPhone to Android as a base line doesn’t look right (or fair).
Android is growing, and will get to the point where those who are living will reconsider and come back, at least, that is my personal opinion. And I’m not an Android owner! So, what do you think? Let us know in the comments.
[Via Reuters]
The App Store has proven itself to be full of idiots just waiting to be parted with their money - shareholders like that sort of crowd, so it was obvious where Gameloft would head.
hence the developers to make money & users get the latest apps !
They can blame nobody but themselves.
They can blame nobody but themselves.
As a developer I'm constantly getting emails from customers pissed at me because they can't download their software. It sucks for me because there's literally NOTHING I can do for them- it's all in google's hands. But people don't realize that, and it's the developers who suffer.
I hope that this will light a fire under Google's butt and get them working on ways to make the market a better experience for both buyers and sellers.
Another thing is that most phones can't handle games properly. I have a G1, and 3D games are pretty much unplayable. 2D games are alright but they lag a lot. I don't know about other android phones, but the iPhone is able to handle games due to its powerful hardware, and the ability to write native software. I think that's another factor too.
Yet another factor: space. One solution to that would be to download a tiny binary to the phone memory, and all the rest of resources to SD card, but getting that to work is tedious as one needs to set up a server on the internet. Some games do that though (like doom)
I think game developers should take advantage of what Android can do. Like.. keyboard support for example. Doom on android is awesome because of the keyboard support, and I can't imagine playing it on an iPhone.
1. An iTunes like program on computer desktops. That way all you have to do is sync up to your computer and have all your apps, music, and videos paired up with your device.
2. Revamp the damn search function in the Market. Seriously that thing is god awful and its illogical to think that the company hosting the best search engine in the world has a search bar that is so bad.
The Android Market has plenty of great stuff in it - including free apps that do all sorts of amazing things. But the philosophy of the users is very different than the Apple mode which has you leave your freedom and your money at the door. Android users have different expectations.
13 year old girls were already buying Dashboard Confessional ep's and albums off Itunes for a dollar way before applications were available so the introduction of applications and tools was an easy, secure, time tested purchase.
The Android market?
Was suppose to have Amazon? Or something?
Yea, enough said about the lack of money Android makes.
And with the Verizon Droid nickle and diming everything I'm sure that won't help
Gameloft: 180 Degree Walks The Talk: A few days ago, Gameloft was explaining why Android sucks and they were pull... http://bit.ly/6xNmVh
1. PANDORA
2. SPRINT
3. VERIZON
4. GAMELOFT
1. Pandora
2. Sprint
3. Verizon
4. Gameloft
:d